Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi Isaam Barqawi is a key figure in the 20th and 21st century Leninist Takfiri movement spawned by the later works of Sayyid Qutb in which he penned down the Leninist Manifesto as a means of "snatching the Haakimiyyah of Allaah" from "jaahiliyy" (barbaric, socially unjust) societies that had usurped it and "giving it back to Allaah". To learn more about Qutb's Leninist methodological framework, please refer to this article.

This revolutionary ideology is what spawned the variety of political and revolutionary movements in the latter half of the 20th century starting from Egypt, spreading to the Middle East and then finally, finding their way into the Western lands - inclusive of a devious and innovated understanding of "Jihaad" within the context of Muslim societies primarily, and then in non-Muslim lands secondly. See this article for more on this.

In this article we want to mention some facts regarding Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, purely from the angle of allowing the reader to understand the type of characters you find leading the Takfiris and Takfiri movements. You will see that they are devoid of even the most basic elements of decency, honesty, integrity and trustworthiness - and its ironic that these people claim to be "working for Islam" when they are far removed from its most basic morals.

Source for the Information

The source is a book with an introduction by Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan in refutation of the book written by al-Maqdisi in which he argues for the Takfir of the Saudi State. Within this book "Tabdeed Kawaashif al-Aneed Fee Takfiri Li-Dawlat it-Tawhid", a refutation of Maqdisi's "al-Kawaashif al-Jaliyyah", information is brough together from those with direct companionship and interaction with al-Maqdisi, who spent some time in Kuwait.

Ideological Origins of the 20th Century Leninist Takfiri Revolutionaries

Before proceeding to summarize this information, it is important to point out that all contemporary extremist, terrorist activity being carried out, spuriously in the name of Islaam, has its origins in the ideology of hatred, malice and resentment towards Muslim societies that were rendered apostate in the writings of Sayyid Qutb in the late 1950s and early to mid 1960s. Qutb was heavily influenced by Western Materialist philosophies for a period of 15 years as mentioned in a biography by Salaah al-Khaalidee, (من الميلاد إلى الإستشهاد) "From Birth to Martyrdom" a biography of Qutb (pp. 213-215) regarding the period of "wastage" in Qutb's life. In particular he was influenced by Marxist Socialism. He was also influenced by Alexis Carrel's notions of "barbarism", which was the precursor to Qutb's further development of this idea in his later works with some support from the writings of Abu A'laa Mawdudi. Having been instrumental in plotting the successful July 1952 revolution with the Free Officers that led to Jamal Abdul-Nasser taking power over Egypt, it became easy for Qutb to pen down this Leninist ideology in his works, particularly in "Milestones" and "az-Zilal".

Through these influences, Qutb rendered all contemporary Muslim societies as apostate societies (with the exception of himself and whoever agreed with this particular ideology of his - learn more about that here), and he called for violent destructive [Leninist] revolutions in all those lands (see here). This gave birth to a devious, innovated form and understanding of Jihaad (learn more about that here) and it was this ideology that gave birth to contemporary extremism and terrorism. The ideological justification for terrorism has it's roots in this way of thinking, and it is directed primarily at Muslim societies turned "apostate". What most non-Muslims will not realize is that to these people (Leninist Takfiri Revolutionaries), these "apostate" societies, their rulers, governments and aiders and supporters are more worthy of being fought, killed and removed. This (fighting "apostate" Muslims as an urgent priority) is ideologically what they believe and they write this explicitly in their works, and it is their "greater and most fundamental goal", which, incidentally, makes them an ideal destabilization tool as well. It was on account of this ideology that beasts on two legs like Abu Qatadah gave fatwas permitting the slaughtering of Muslim women and children in Algeria (see here and here).

It is believed that al-Maqdisi, full name, Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi Isaam bin Tahir al-Barqawi, is Circassian, from the former Soviet Union who emigrated to Palestine. Al-Maqdisi used to live, in the days of his youth, in Kuwait and he used to work in Maktabah as-Sahabah along with Fu'ad ar-Rifaa'ee at the beginning of the setting up of this publishing house. After leaving Fu'ad he did some freelance work on his own and lived in the Sabaahiyyah district of Kuwait.

A year after this, in 1986, he went to Afghanistan and he joined up with takfiri militants and he trained with the Jamaa'at ut-Takfir. Then when he returned to Kuwait the effects of that began to show upon him, with this new ideology, when signs of taqiyah (dissimulation) in manifesting his real creed were observed. He would make a remark to see how a person would respond to it, and then if the person showed agreement, he would manifest his real doctrine and if not he would say, "I am joking with you."

It was in this manner that he began to change and prior to this he studied under Muhammad Suroor in the Khaytan district (of Kuwait) and he was part of Suroor's jamaa'ah as he himself acknowledge in his own book "I'daad al-Qaadah al-Fawaaris Fee Bayaan Fasaad al-Madaaris".

He also made contact, when he returned from Afghanistan, with some of the remnants of the jamaa'ah of Juhaymaan in Kuwait, and these people are not seekers of knowledge, rather the most that is with them is that their knowledge revolves around speech about the rulers, and inciting against them, and in terms of allegiance and disloyalty (al-walaa wal-baraa) they are with al-Ikhwan al-Muslimeen whilst waging war against the Salafis and accusing them of working for the authorities.

Al-Maqdisi eventually split from Muhammad Suroor and he also wrote a refutation against Suroor because Suroor wrote against Jamaa'at ut-Tawaqquf (another takfiri sect). He also wrote a book in this period called "Millah Ibraaheem", which in essence was an outline of the doctrine of the Kharijites. He then wrote another book "al-Kawaashif al-Jaliyyah Fee Bayaan Kufr ad-Dawlah as-Sa'udiyyah", and he wrote it under the name Abu al-Baraa' al-Utaybee. He also wrote books entitled "ad-Demoqratiyyah Deen" and "Murji'at ul-Asr"

Our Note: The accusation of Irjaa' upon those who did not make Takfir of the rulers was already current and spread within takfiri circles during the 1990s, and these people were accusing Major Scholars like Ibn Baz, Ibn Uthaymin and al-Albani of being Murji'ah for this reason.

He eventually split from the remnants of jamaa'ah of Juhayman in Kuwait when t hey expelled him for being too hasty in making Takfir on the basis of any type of opposition to the Sharee'ah. He also turned against them and wrote a small treatise in which he labelled them "Tawaagheet Sighaar" (Minor Taghuts). He then remained with the Ghullaat ut-Takfir, the extremist Takfiris and they never used to pray behind the Muslims in their mosques, and they would pray the Friday prayer on their own by going out into the desert.

Al-Maqdisi is not a person of knowledge, the most of what he got was from Muhammad Suroor, and that was nothing but knowledge of politics and how to create political agitation.

Despite his presence in Kuwait he had little effect upon the youth there because in Kuwait there is still a strong attachment with the Scholars, and his company was mainly amongst the Palestinians there, who were unable to invite to their call.In Kuwait, the Takfiris, Qutbis are not able to openly make their call to Takfir and revolution, but they simply do so with hints and allusions and the likes. Due to the strength of Salafiyyah in Kuwait, these people have been held at bay.

The doctrine that he acquired from the groups of Takfir in Afghanistan matured until he began to hold the lawfulness of stealing wealth (i.e. because all governments, and states were apostates and jihad was permissible against them, making permissible wealth as "booty"). He stole some wealth from one of the charitable foundations in Kuwait and then he fled to Jordan where he built a house, got married again before being captured by the Jordanian authorities. He was imprisoned for seven years before being released, imprisoned again and released once more.

The author also quotes from a letter of Faisal bin Khalid as-Sa'eed, what the latter heard directly with his own ears from al-Maqdisi and in conversations and arguments that he had with al-Maqdisi - and the author also quotes from another individual called Ihsan al-Utaybee - the following matters (summarized):

Faisal as-Sa'eed states that al-Maqdisi declares those working in the (Kuwaiti) army to be apostates merely on account of them wearing the military uniform, despite some of his followers being officers in the army itself!

That al-Maqdisi stole the wallet and weapons of a (Kuwaiti) soldier they found intoxicated in a car. When Faisal as-Sa'eed confronted him with this, after taking him for a drive in his car, al-Maqdisi denied it, but eventually he admitted it. When asked where is his Sharee'ah justification for falling into this crime, and giving no answer, Faisal as-Sa'eed said to him, "So its based upon your own order and verdict upon them", and al-Maqdisi replied, "Because he is a taaghoot, kaafir". When asked why he made Takfir of that soldier, after playing around a little, al-Maqdisis said, "Due to his military clothing and also his intoxication".

He is known for attacks upon Shaykh Ibn Baz, and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen and considering them astray, misguided and misguiding others.

From Ihsan al-Utaybee that al-Maqdisi did not used to pray behind the Muslims, and he used to waste time in the wudhoo areas until the prayer had finished before coming out to pray (on his own). [This being due to his belief that the Imaam is an apostate and thus, the prayer would be invalid].

From al-Utaybee: Al-Maqdisi held it unlawful to pray behind al-Hudhayfee and as-Sudais (in Saudi).

From al-Utaybee: Al-Maqdisi considered it lawful to steal the wealth of police officers and he himself did so from one of the Muslim police officers (corroborating what Faisal as-Sa'eed mentions previously).

From al-Utaybee: Al-Maqdisi considers it permissible to violate the honors of Muslim women because they are considered war-booty, and this goes back to al-Maqdisi's Takfir of them.

As you can see, this is simply the same as what emerged out of 1960s Egypt through the books and ideology of Sayyid Qutb, and you can learn more about that evil and innovated so-called "Jihad" (which is Jihad in the path of the devil) in this article here.

From this glimpse you can see that we are dealing primarily here with people who are nothing short of beasts on two legs. Don't be surprised that the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) described these Kharijites as "Dogs of Hellfire" and he stated about them, "If I was to reach them, I would slaughter them like the slaughtering of (the nation of) 'Aad".